Photo: Used with permission.“Republicans are nothing more than Democrats in disguise,” a conservative friend told me recently. More and more conservatives are displeased with the Republican Party. Some believe the party has actually been infiltrated by not only left leaning persons but foreign influencers and Islamists as well.

It’s sad that in today’s political arena, a person cannot present sound critical questioning to their own party without being castrated. It appears that more and more self-proclaimed Republicans are playing a game of ad hominem attacks, just as Democrats do. If conservatives favor a two party system, it’s critical we fix a very broken Republican Party. The first step could be to begin vetting members appropriately. This requires asking critical questions and demanding answers.

Bearing Drift: Virginia’s Conservative Voice, an online media platform, recently published an article titled Del. David Ramadan Kicks Butt! The author praised Delegate Ramadan (R-87th) for his initiative on passing House Bills 1760 and 2120. Everything sounds good so far. But reading comments on the blog revealed a troubling pattern.

One commenter posed a very simple question: Who is Imad David Ramadan? The question should have been more appropriately presented by asking, Who is Lebanese born Imad Afif Ramadan? Yes, the person we know as “David” Ramadan is actually a Shi’ite Muslim born in Lebanon with the birth name Imad Afif Ramadan.

What’s interesting is the fact that the author who wrote “Del. David Ramadan Kicks Butt” is the same author who in August, 2011 wrote Questions Swirl Around David-Imad Ramadan in 87th HOD. This article revealed David Ramadan’s past, including his ties to Lebanese Intelligence, the fact that he was formerly married to a Muslim woman who has gone missing, the fact that he filed bankruptcy, and his breach of the oath of American citizenship by signing a petition with his two brothers called DEMAND[ING] THE RIGHT TO VOTE AS CITIZENS OF LEBANON.

Something just doesn't seem right about the entire debacle surrounding David Ramadan. Why would any online media outlet expose David Ramadan and then, months later, do everything in its power to act like they are his best friend?

Let me be very clear. I am not saying one way or another David Ramadan is aligned with any international terrorist organization nor am I claiming he has ties to any foreign state. Nor am I claiming the team at Bearing Drift are doing anything wrong. Maybe they just had a sudden "change of heart."

Some questions about Ramadan’s past do warrant answers, however. We the people deserve those answers without being chastised for posing such questions. I will touch more on Bearing Drift and at least one of its board members.

Some Republicans may believe Ramadan and Bearing Drift don’t matter so long as they continue the conservative path. I disagree. The conservative path is not about lies, deception, and monetary influence. That’s the path of today’s Republicans and Democrats. Again, I am not saying anyone has lied, deceived, used or uses foreign or domestic monetary value to influence duties. I just want answers.

We must not allow fellow so-called conservatives to jump on Republican bandwagons. Remember, through our party’s history, we have had many sell-outs. It’s time to weed out the fake conservatives wearing a Republican disguise. We cannot afford for our party to be further infiltrated.

And yes, we conservatives have allowed our party to become infiltrated. Let’s not forget the case of one Pakistani agent by the name of Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai who infiltrated our party not long ago in an attempt to influence our elected officials. The 62 year old Fairfax, VA resident was supported by the Pakistani ISI—the very organization who many believe supported in the aiding and harboring of Osama Bin Laden. [Ed. Note: Nabi Fai's activities dated to the terms President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, served.]

If you believe Nabi Fai is the only foreign agent to infiltrate and influence our party, you are wrong. It happens more often than you could imagine. He just happened to get caught.

But let’s go back to the comments on the original article posted by Bearing Drift for a moment.

Another commenter quickly did his best to protect David Ramadan-- Brian W. Schoeneman. Brian never answered questions posed, but rather played a very politically correct progressive game—attacking a fellow conservative who initially asked questions about David Ramadan.

Who is Brian W. Schoeneman and why should you care about him? Brian sits on the board of directors for Bearing Drift. He admits to being friends with Imad Afif Ramadan. He said, “I know him pretty well. He's a friend of mine. We ran for office together. He won, I lost.”

So what, right? Well, let’s take a deeper look at Mr. Schoeneman.

Mr. Schoeneman serves as the political and legislative director for the Seafarers International Union of North America (SIUNA), the nation's largest maritime labor union. You read that correctly. Mr. Schoeneman is a labor union guy. Take a deep breath. That does not mean he isn’t necessarily a Republican.

Once again, I am reminded of what my buddy recently told me. “Republicans are nothing more than Democrats in disguise.” Ok, maybe he really isn’t a Democrat either. Maybe he is just a bit misinformed about infiltration and influence operations conducted by foreign agents. Then again, that is highly doubtful.

The SIUNA is an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Yes, the AFL-CIO is led by Richard Trumka—a die-hard leftist. Do you believe for one second that two of America’s largest labor organizations would ever allow someone like Mr. Schoenman to serve in such a critical position? Ever hear of guilt by association?

I hate writing this. I hate knowing many will immediately jump the gun and believe I am a conspiracy theorist, a racist, an Islamophobe, or a bigot. I am none of these things.

I am a conservative willing to present information to readers in an attempt to spark heated debate that will question the one party within our two party system representing conservatives.

We have a choice. Allow our Republican party to continue down the wrong path of corruption, infiltration, and deception, or ask critical questions and expose critical issues. This should be done in the spirit of attempting to save the party.

If we do not make any attempt to preserve the true conservative foundation within the Republican Party, maybe it’s time some of us leave the party itself and find something that truly represents real conservatives.

I would hate to leave the party and I do not wish to do so, but what other choice does a person have these days?

We know of foreign influencers who swayed Republican politicians and their points of view. We know some self-proclaimed Republicans have ties with large labor unions, self-declared enemies of the Republican Party and conservative principles. And now, we must question at least one elected official in Virginia in an attempt to determine his true background and allegiance. If we cannot question those we claim to support, then we must question our own values.

Reader Comments (3)

First of all, I'm a Republican. I've been a Republican my whole life. Yes, I work for a labor union, and they hired me because I'm a Republican - after all, Republicans control the House of Representatives, and who better to lobby Republicans than ... a Republican? I was a Bush Administration appointee and I wouldn't have gotten cleared by the White House if I were a Democrat. And, unlike most Republicans, I've had my name on a ballot with an "R" behind it.

The AFL-CIO is an umbrella organization. My boss is not Richard Trumka - my boss is the President of the Seafarers. Regardless, I lobby on maritime issues and we are bipartisan.

As for David Ramadan, anybody who honestly thinks that anybody who was actually a foreign intelligence officer would be so high profile that he would become an elected official knows absolutely zero about the intelligence business.

David is not a spy. You guys are going after him through smears and innuendo, and it gets tiresome. It's this kind of attitude that is costing us elections.

Republicans are not Democrats in disguise. We're Republicans. If you can't see the difference, you're blinded by cynicism.

Kerry, I have been fighting this battle for over half a century. some states are far worse than others, but the national GOP has tried for decades to be more like the other party. We even find at the Presidential level that the most liberal of the primary candidates is the one chosen to run in the main election in November. Part of it is the party itself, but part is from the media supporting the one they like best in the primaries. Seems by November there is little in the way of difference. over the years i have tried for change both inside and outside the party. In my state it has gotten so bad that the GOP will no longer allow the rank and file to vote on party leadership. In some elections I have been forced to vote third party or leave the office blank. You are correct, we must take back the party or create a new one, which is how the Republican party was born and the wigs ceased to exist.

The redoubtable Mr Shoenemann with his hand-waving denunciations of others, and lame "I work for the AFL-CIO, but I'm not really a union thug."

He is the perfect example of what's wrong with the Republican Party. He is a loser, and has dragged the former party of conservatives down with him. Not quite sure why he thinks having lost an election is some sort of badge of honor.

As for his continued aspersions towards others' knowledge of intelligence matters, I can only suppose that he's learned what he thinks he knows at the knee of his RINO buddy, Ramadan.

Comparing bona fides on counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, the Middle East, or anything else to do with national security would find him holding the short end of the stick.

I suggested that we get together in person to discuss this issue, so that I can share with him the full details of Ramadan's connections. He refused with a sneer.

Young Brian, if you're reading this, here are my bona fides on national security: www.kentclizbe.com

Happy to discuss any of these issues, any time, anywhere. You know how to find me.